With Illinois Republicans trying to live down the Ryan years and reform the party, it seemed to me that the ostentatiously reform-minded U.S. Senate candidates would approve the suggestion that Kjellander be driven off. I was wrong.

A few weeks ago, I interviewed one candidate, state Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, a conservative who said Kjellander should be dumped.

Rauschenberger said as much again Wednesday, questioning whether a lobbyist receiving $800,000 in a bond deal for a Democratic governor should lead the Illinois GOP.

"When Bob Kjellander was appointed Republican national committeeman, Republicans controlled the governor's mansion, the House and the Senate," Rauschenberger said. "Today, we're the minority in the House and the Senate, and we've lost the governor's mansion."

Rauschenberger bothered the other Republicans, who want to be seen as reformers but don't want to anger Kjellander.

Chief among these was candidate Andrew McKenna, the Glenview businessman.

"I think it's a culture, I don't think it's a person. I think that the first thing incumbent on us as Senate candidates is to lead by example," McKenna said, adding that the state party will make that decision without his help.

"I'm talking to delegates about my outrage about where the party went to," McKenna said. "We ought to have outrage about the scandals. You know, let those delegates make their own decisions."

Aurora ice cream king Jim Oberweis declined to take a position, except to say that the $800,000 fee was exceptionally large.

Then Rauschenberger declared: "Well, then I hope you don't say any more about party building, either of you, if you don't have an opinion on the national committeeman and what's going on in the party. Welcome to the Republican Party, but don't talk about party building in front of public audiences."

"You talking to me?" McKenna said, upset.

"Both of you," Rauschenberger said.

McKenna said he wasn't going to spend his time criticizing other Republicans, which most likely includes Kjellander.

That's when McKenna brought up the ostentatious nose-raising bit.

"If you're going to stand up and put your nose above me because you think that's wrong," McKenna said, "I think that's arrogant and what got this party in trouble."

Then Oberweis chimed in, accusing McKenna of duplicity for supporting party unity when convenient, while also working against Fitzgerald, including planning a campaign against the incumbent.